The 28th of April our Partnership organized a Webinar on ‘Territorial cooperation: Public measures to support the economic response to COVID-19’. The speaker, Esteban Pelayo, Director of EURADA, presented the future opportunities of Territorial cooperation in the EU programming period 2021-2027. He recommended to all regions that they should have a defined cooperation strategy (based on their own interests), regardless of the EU programas or approved projects. The current review of smart specialization strategies is a good opportunity to design these interregional cooperation strategies. Future EU programs on cooperation 2021-2027 will facilitate the implementation of those strategies. Accordingly with draft program proposals, during the period 2021-2027 there will be Interreg, Interact and ESPON; furthermore new opportunities will appear within the framework of Component 5 of the cooperation specifically designed to deepen cooperation based on smart specialization. Horizon Europe program will give additional good opportunities for regional actors (for example in ecosystem pillar 3); and also in activities promoted by the European Parliament or the DG Regio of International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC).

In relation with the economic EU response to COVID 19, all regions have implemented first aid urgent measures to support companies. In this moment we are designing long-term initiatives that will be probably aligned with the former priorities of sustainability, reindustrialisation; new ways of finance companies; support to digitalisation (DIHs) Digital Innovation Hubs; Initiatives related to security and defense; and also to societal challenges.

Esteban Pelayo adviced partner regions to be prepared in advance for the opportunities that the new programming period of European funds will provide; and to work beyond a specific pipeline of projects, establishing a strategy to support their own economic development priorities with international cooperation.

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Watch the webinar video

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